Torn Between Two Times
by Jyuoa
Summary: With Naraku defeated, Kagome is forced to make a decision about which time to stay in. Will she choose to stay with Inuyasha or return home to her family?
1. Sitting at the Well

Kagome sat on the well in the fudeal era, staring at the Sacred Jewel in her hand. _What should I do now? _She wondered. _Naraku's gone and I have the Sacred Jewel back. If I keep it here, demons will keep coming after it. But if I bring it to my own time, who knows what trouble it'll cause._

"Kagome's really having trouble with this decision." Shippo stated, watching in the bushes with Miroku and Sango.

"I don't think we should be spying on her." Sango told them. "What we're doing isn't right."

"I know, but I can't help but worry." Miroku told her. "Kagome's not from the same time period as us and now that she has the Sacred Jewel back, she must figure out a way to keep it out of harms way and be rid of it forever."

"In my village, the legend stated that if a wish is placed on the Jewel, it'll disappear forever." Sango explained.

"Right now, it just looks like she's worried about something." Shippo noticed.

Kagome heard a rustling sound. "Who's there?" She asked.

"Get down!" Miroku whispered. The group ducked and headed for the forest.

"Just me." A voice said. Inuyasha made his way over to the well.

"Oh, it's you." Kagome was relieved. "I thought it was a demon coming after the jewel again."

"At least this time you know not to make the same mistake twice." Inuyasha told her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kagome asked.

"I've heard some rumors about the jewel and I'm concerned." Inuyasha told her. "I don't know if you'll be able to cross between the two time periods much longer."

"As long as I have it with me, I think I'll be fine." Kagome said. Inuyasha sat next to her for a little while. "Inuyasha, I'm going back to bring a full medicine supply kit and some other materials we might need, even though we may not be going into a battle. I should only be about an hour or less."

"You be careful now, Kagome." Inuyasha said.

"My time's not as dangerous." Kagome reminded him and she allowed herself to fall back into the well.


	2. Temporary Family Reunion

When Kagome arrived home, she set her bag down on her bed. "It's been so long." She said. She leaned back on it for a while before heading downstairs. "I'm back, guys!"

"Kagome, hello." Her mom said. "It's been a while since we've seen you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Kagome said. "Just a little tired."

"What have you been up to, young lady?" Her grandpa asked.

"You must've been really busy in the fudel era." Sota said.

"It's great to see you all." Kagome said. "We finally did it." She showed them the Sacred Jewel in her hand.

"No way." Her grandpa stared at it.

"Is that the Sacred Jewel?" Sota asked.

"Kagome…" Her mom said.

"We finally got the entire jewel back in one piece." Kagome told them. "It wasn't easy, but we did it."

"So, what are we going to do with it?" Her mom asked.

"I don't know." Kagome said. "I can't keep it either time period because it may attract demons here and we'll be stuck fighting in a war over it all over again. I just don't know what to do."

"Doesn't the jewel need to become purified in order to disappear?" Sota asked.

"That's right." Kagome said. "I forgot about that. Wait. Since when do you know so much about the Sacred Jewel?"

"I've been reading about it in books as a way to help find a way to get rid of it." Sota explained.

"I see." Kagome said. _You're a very smart little brother._

"I've been reading the ancient scrolls as well." Her grandpa told her. "It says that in order for it to be gone from the world, it's owner must use the power of the four souls to purify it."

"I get it." Kagome said. "So, how does it work?"

"It didn't describe that." He said.

"Is there something else bothering you?" Her mom asked.

"It's just," Kagome said. "Now that we have it back, I don't know if I should stay here with you guys or go back to the past. It's so hard to choose between the two worlds."

"Oh, Kagome." Her mom said. "I know it's difficult to choose between your friends and your family."

"But if I cross through the well again…" Kagome told them. "I don't know if I'll be able to return again." She got up. "I need to get a full first aid kit and some walkie-talkies. I promised I'd return soon."

"Have a safe trip, Kagome." Sota told her.

"We'll be here no matter what you decide, Kagome." Her mom said.

"Thanks, everyone." Kagome said. She packed her bag and headed back through the well once again.


	3. Team Debate

By the time Kagome had returned, it was sundown in the fudel era. She entered the small wooden hut. "I'm back, guys."

"You're a little late." Inuyasha said.

"Sit, boy!" She said.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" He asked.

"Just felt like it." Kagome told him.

"Kagome, give him a break." Sango told her. "We've been through a lot in the past few hours."

"I see." Kagome said. "What have all of you been doing?"

"Miroku and I went out for a walk." Sango said. "We've been coming up with marrige plans."

"That's right." Kagome said. "I almost forgot. When's the ceremony?"

"We haven't set a date yet, but it's some time soon." Miroku said. "Will you stick around that long?"

"I just don't know what to do, really." Kagome said. "It'd be so much easier if I didn't live in another time period."

"I know it must be difficult, being an outsider in a new place." Inuyasha told her. Kagome looked at him. "It was so hard when I was little, trying to fit in here. No one would accept me because I was a half-demon."

"I understand." Kagome said. "But you've got us now."

"Both being outsiders, I guess that's something we had in common." Inuyasha told her.

"It's something that we all have in common." Miroku pointed out. "I used to be normal before the curse effected me."

"But it's gone now." Sango interrupted.

"I know." Miroku continued. "Sango and Kohaku are the last of the demon slayers."

"I'm always picked on for being so small." Shippo told them. "Some people don't believe I'm really a demon." Kilala mewed.

"In this time, everyone thinks I'm a reincarnation of Kikyo." Kagome said. "But I know that I'm not really like her."

"I can see some similarities, but you two are completely different people." Inuyasha said.

"Yeah, besides, she was killed off fifty years before I showed up." Kagome pointed out.

"It's hard to figure out which side she's really fighting on." Shippo pointed out.

"That's true." Miroku said. "She had every intention of trying to kill Inuyasha, yet she didn't trust Naraku either."

"It's strange how someone so spiritual can have such a dark side." Sango said. "From what I've learned of the Sacred Jewel's origin, Kikyo was very kind and beautiful."

"She was until Naraku came along." Inuyasha said. "Then she changed. This stupid war over the jewel is what cost Kikyo her life."

"I know." Kagome said. "But now I'm no more safe than she was back then. With the Sacred Jewel in my possession, who knows what demons will come after us?"

"Kagome, maybe you should've stayed home." Inuyasha told her.

"I don't know if I can." Kagome explained. "I managed to make one brief trip there and back. If I don't figure out which time to live in, I might not be able to see any of them or you again."


	4. Helpful Brothers

Kagome dropped her backpack on the ground. "I almost forgot." She unzipped it and pulled out the walkie-talkies. "These are so we can communicate between the two worlds." She handed one to everyone.

"How does it work?" Sango asked.

"It's easy, you press on the button to talk to the person, then hold it up to your ear to listen." Kagome explained.

"You sure it's going to work?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm positive. We'll test it outside." Kagome said. Outside, Kagome had walked about ten feet into the woods to the tree where she found Inuyasha. "Are you ready?" She called to the others. They all nodded.

"I don't see how this is going to help." Inuyasha said.

"Let's just be sure that this invention of hers works." Miroku told him.

"Yeah, it'll be easier to contact her when she visits home this way." Sango added.

"If it even works at all." Inuyasha said.

"Sit, boy!" Kagome yelled through the walkie-talkie. Inuyasha fell to the ground.

"Hey, cut it out, will ya?" Inuyasha yelled back through his.

"At least we know it works." Kagome responded. "I'm coming back over to you guys now." Kagome made her way over to the group.

"It looks like that test was a success." Miroku said.

"Yeah, and now we can…huh?" Sango stopped in mid-sentence. "Do you mind?" She asked Miroku.

"Uh…" Sango slapped him across the face.

"I can't believe I agreed to marry you!" She told him and began to walk off.

"Sango, wait!" Miroku tried to catch up to her.

"That idiot." Shippo said.

"Doesn't he ever learn?" Inuyasha asked.

"His Wind Tunnel may be gone, but part of his personality still remains." Kagome noted. That evening just outside the hut, she called her family. "Can anyone hear me?"

"Hi, Kagome." Sota responded.

"Hey, Sota." She smiled. "How are you doing?"

"Everything's going great." Sota told her. "When will you be coming back home?"

"I don't know." Kagome said. "I've still got something to do here."

"I'll miss you, sister." Sota told her.

"Same here," Kagome said. "Just remember to stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Not a problem, sis." Sota said. "I have school tomorrow."

"Can you tell the girls I moved out of town?" Kagome asked. "I don't want anyone getting suspicious of my sudden disappearence."

"Okay, but promise to tell me all about your adventures." Sota said.

"Thanks." Kagome said. "I gotta go now. I'll tell you everything tomorrow. Bye, Sota."

Inuyasha stepped outside. "How's your brother doing?" He asked.

"He's fine." Kagome said. "I just finished talking to him. So, what are you doing out here?"

"Well, I was waiting for you to come in." Inuyasha explained. "It's pretty cold out here tonight."

Kagome felt a sudden breeze. "I know what you mean, but I'm used to it."

"Come on," Inuyasha put his arm around her. "Let's get you inside before you catch a cold or something." Kagome blushed and they walked inside. In her hand, she felt the Sacred Jewel glow.

"Is everything okay with Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked.

"You can never really tell with those two." Inuyasha pointed out.

"Wait, you actually did that?" Sango laughed.

"Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing at the time." Miroku told her. He was laughing too.

"It looks like they're getting along fine." Shippo said.

"So, now what?" Inuyasha asked.

"Miroku and I are trying to arrange our wedding plans." Sango said. "Think you could help us, Kagome?"

"Sure thing. I love weddings." Kagome said. There was a knock outside. Kilala got up as if she sensed something.

"What is it, Kilala?" Sango asked. Kilala wandered outside and mewed.

"Nice to see you again, too." A voice said.

_That voice!_Sango thought. _Could it be…_She got up and walked outside. She saw her brother playing with Kilala. "Kohaku!"

_"_Hey, Sango." He greeted her.

"Why don't you come inside and join the rest of us?" Sango asked.

"What's going on out here?" Kagome asked. She and the others had come outside to see what the commotion was about.

"We have a visitor, guys." Sango told them.

"It's Kohaku." Kagome realized.

"Nice to see all of you again." Kohaku told them. "I picked some of these in the field. I thought it would make a great wreath for your wedding." He held up some flowers.

"They're perfect." Sango said. "Thanks, Kohaku."

"Hey, I'd do anything to help out with your big day, sis." He told her.

"That's very thoughtful of you." Miroku told him. "So, will you be attending the ceremony?"

"I can't wait for it." Kohaku said. "I've been going village to village looking for you guys."

"I'm glad you found us." Sango said. She gave him a hug.

"It's a good thing our brothers are always there to help us." Kagome said. "Sota's covering for me back home."

"I should've guessed." Inuyasha said. "You do need some reason for not being in school and your grandfather keeps coming up with all these strange illnesses."

"It's one of his hobbies." Kagome stated. "Anyway, we could use a little help planning the wedding. Think you can give me a hand, Kohaku?"

"Sure." Kohaku said. "My sister told me a lot about you guys. She wrote to me in a letter."

"Well, let's head back in." Sango suggested.

As they headed in, Kagome felt the jewel pulse in her hand. What's going on with this thing? She decided to ignore it and headed in with the others.


	5. Kagome's Decision

A few days later, Kagome headed back out to the well. _It's time to make a decision, but it's just so hard. _She leaned on the edge of the well and rested for a while. The wedding ceremony was to take place in just a few days and Kagome didn't know if she was going to be there. She heard a rustling noise. She got to her feet and pulled out an arrow. "Who's there?"

"It's me." She heard Inuyasha's voice.

"Oh, sorry." Kagome said. "I thought you were someone else."

"Is something wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"I don't know if I can do this." Kagome explained. "In my time I have a family, but if I leave here I'll miss all of you guys. Sometimes when I'm here, I feel like I don't belong."

"I know the feeling." Inuyasha said. "It's tough being the outsider." He walked over to her.

"And another problem is what to do with this." Kagome looked at the jewel in her hand. "The Sacred Jewel of Four Souls. I don't know what to do with it. I can't keep it here because we'll be caught in war after war again."

"I remember when I started seeing Kikyo." Inuyasha told her. "She said that if the jewel became purified it would no longer exist in our world."

"But I don't know how to purify it." Kagome said. "I know I'm her reincarnation, but she died before she could tell me how."

__

"It will disappear when its owner uses the power of all four souls." What did Grandpa mean by that?

"I want you to have this." Inuyasha gave her something. "If you decide to go back home, we wanted you to have some way to remember us." Kagome looked in her hand. It was a gold heart-shaped locket. **(The same one she gave him in the movie: Castle Beyond the Looking Glass) **

"Inuyasha…" Tears filled her eyes and she rushed into his arms. "I'm just so confused, I don't know what to do." She admitted. "I want to stay by your side, but I have my family on the other side of the well."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha spoke up.

"Yeah, Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, it doesn't if you go back home or not." Inuyasha said. "I just want you to be happy with whatever choice you make. I love you, Kagome."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome embraced him again. "I love you, too. But I can't stay in both worlds at the same time. I just wish there was some way we could be together without my having to leave all the time." Suddenly, she felt the jewel getting warm in her hand. "Ow!" She pulled away and looked in her hand.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked.

"The Sacred Jewel is glowing!" It began to pulse. "I wonder what's going on?"

"It's never reacted like this before." Inuyasha observed.

Kagome, terrified of what was going on, dropped the jewel. "That feels a lot better." The burning in her hand had stopped. The jewel floated up in mid-air, glowed even brighter for a few seconds, and then white sparkles flew out and it disappeared.

Outside the hut, the others saw the intense glow. "I wonder what that was." Sango said.

"It seems as if the Sacred Jewel has disappeared." Kaede said. They all turned to look at her.

At the well, Kagome watched the last of the white sparkles fall. "It looks like the Sacred Jewel has disappeared. Inuyasha?" She looked around. He seemed to have disappeared. "Inuyasha?" She called again, a little louder this time.

"Down here!" Inuyasha said. During all the chaos he had fallen into the tall grass.

"I'm coming!" Kagome reached out and grabbed his hand. She helped him up. Then she noticed that his hand didn't have any claws on it. "Inuyasha, you're…" She looked at him so she could face him. His hair had turned black and his fangs were gone, too. "You're human."

He looked at himself. "I am. I wonder how this happened."

"The jewel!" Kagome realized. "I did it. I purified the Sacred Jewel!"

"So we don't have to worry about it anymore." Inuyasha said.

Kagome smiled. "Kagome!" Shippo called out. Everyone ran over.

"Guys, the Sacred Jewel is gone! I did it!" She told them.

"It seems you were able to purify the Sacred Jewel." Kaede said.

"I know." Kagome said.

"It looks like you're stranded here, though." Sango told her. "Look at the well." Everyone walked over and looked inside. The demonic aura around it had dissipated.

"It looks like you can't go back home now." Miroku observed.

"I am home now, Miroku." Kagome told him. She took Inuyasha's hand. "This is where I really belong."

**Hang on, the story isn't over yet. There's one more chapter left. It'll be pretty short, but I'll update soon. Remember to R&R.**


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